TheSamba.com :: View topic - South African '76 RHD double slider panel

Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:26 pm

The VIN plate in your picture looks just like mine, Didi. The more I learn about this bus, the more I like it!

Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:47 pm

I had a little time to kill today so I put some gas and a battery in the bus and it fired right up. It drove it around the block slowly as the brakes are iffy and it's stuck in 2nd gear. Then it was back in the garage and out with the engine. Hopefully tomorow I can get the transaxle out and see why it's stuck in gear. With any luck, I may have this thing on the road in a couple weeks. BTW, driving a right hand drive bus is wierd.

Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:41 am

Hi redwagon

I am from South Africa and it seems as if you are correct in your assumption that it is SA made. I drive a 1974 Jurgens Autovilla. Do a search for Autovilla on this website to see how it looks. The little round reflectors on the front is a dead give away as far as I am concerned. Mine has them as well. Also we did not have what you call side markers on the front, those orange kind of lights on the front doors? (What were their use anyway???) VW South Africa has a long and proud history with many innovations adapted for African conditions. For instance the Audi 5 cylinder engine put into late model Microbusses/Vanagons. These were still available new with a 2.6l watercool engine until 1999. The busses were very popular here as they are making use of heavy duty parts and were classified as commercial vehicles, thus being built stronger than 'normal' cars. The double sliding door is kinda unique. I havent seen them here before, probably a factory add on? Bay window busses are getting very scarce here as parts are expensive. Lots of people also converted them to Ford V6 engines to pull heavy caravans. So many of them was hacked to pieces. Please visit our South African website for aircooleds at: http://www.aircooledvwsa.co.za
Here you will get some more help.
Cheers!

Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:44 pm

Hi Barrie. I joined the South African VW website a couple days ago and seems pretty cool. I know in the U.S. you could order a Bus with dual sliding doors. A friend of mine had a 1971 panle bus with them a few years ago as well. The side markers were made mandatory for all U.S. market cars from 1968 onwards for safety standards. the fronts were just reflectors but the rears lit up with the taillights. Today, I pulled the transmission out and discovered that part of the shift rail is broken so it should be a very easy fix. With any luck, I should have it back on the road soon!

Fri Aug 21, 2009 10:39 pm

So I finally took the bus for a drive today! I've ben ti nkering with it in my spare time for the last few weeks. I pulled out the transmission and replaced the broken shift rail bracket, replaced the shift linkage bushings and coupler as well as the C.V. boots.

As far as the engine goes, it ran allright so I stripped itto a long block washed everything and repainted the tin. I replaced the oil cooler seals, valve cover gaskets and flywheel seal. I also replaced all the tune up items, the clutch and the exhaust and all the fuel lines. and the oil. I washed the eninge bay and put it all back together.

I gave the rest of the bus a cleaning and took it for a ride around the neighborhood. I still need to clean it more and get a new windshield, but at least it moves under its own power. It was fun driving it, but driving a right hand drive panel bus is very weird![/img]

Sun Jan 03, 2010 9:36 pm

I've been meaning to update this for a while. I have a few pictures from a british car show that I took my bus to in september. I've been going to the show for many years with my Dad, who has a few Morris Minors and a Singer. They let me enter the Bus since it was RHD. :D Since then show, I rubbed out the paint and waxed and it looks way better. It still needs a lot of work, but it's in way better than when I bought it. I have collected a lot of parts and plan to spend some time on it soon so that I can drive it this summmer. My Dad's '59 Morris Minor is next to it in a couple of the pictures.

Mon Jan 04, 2010 1:48 pm

Move the fuel filter outside of the engine compartment - your bus is about 0.5 seconds from exploding into smithereens!

Mon Jan 04, 2010 6:12 pm

I've noticed a lot of people saying that in this forum, but I've been setting VW's up like that for many years and I've never had an engine fire yet. I make sure that all the junctuions are clamped and the line is in good condition. Everybody has their own opinions, though, I guess.

Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:40 pm

Don't worry. I was just kidding

Mon Jan 04, 2010 8:57 pm

Nice looking bus. I hope to see it at some of the local events. When we all going camping?

Mon Jan 04, 2010 9:04 pm

RIOMX wrote: Don't worry. I was just kidding

I know. I find it amusing how opinionated some people get on internet forums. :D I will definitelty bring it out this summer but I don't about camping. I'm kind of a city boy. I like comfy beds and indoor plumbing.

Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:06 pm

I got the birth certificate for my Bus in the mail today. It doesn'tt have a build date but it says that it was shipped in September, 1975 and the country of destination was South Africa. It also says the upholstery is Canyon brown leatherette. For the paint color it lists primer, so assume it was painted in Africa before being assembled since it was obviously painted asl a shell. Unfortunately the main reason I ordered the birth certificate was to find out what the paint code is. Once I get it driving a little better, I know of a paint store that can "scan" the paint and mix it for me, so I guess thats the next plan.

Tue Feb 09, 2010 1:26 pm

redwagon wrote: Here is a picture of the m-code plate.
[list=][/list]

That is a typical mid-1970s Volkswagen of South Africa VIN plate. From the VIN it is indeed a 76 panel.

Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:15 pm

It's high time that I update my Bus thread. I keep it at my shop and tinker with it when I have down time. In the past few months, I replaced the shocks, rear wheel cylinders and shoes, front calipers and pads, and painted the wheels. I also cleaned it very thouroughly and waxed the exterior. I installed the rear bumper and taillights that I got from a junkyard bus a few months back.

Interior-wise, I took out the home made camper interior and pit in a rubber flormat from a bus that a friend parted out. I also used part of a lhd front mat and part of the rhd mat to make a new front one. I also put in a Berg shifter, a clock and a radio block off. I couldn't find anyone that sold seat cover kits that were of the same material as the originals so I had a friend of a friend re-cover them. He found some naugahyde that was very close and did a super nice job.

Lastly, I thought it would be fun to do some kind of period style signwriting on it for my shop. I have a buddy who does vinyl graphics so he and I put our heads together and came up with a "seventies" style logo and he made it happen.

I've been driving it around here and there and I took it to a show in May as well. Next, I plan on fixing that riht rear corner. That's about it. Thanks for reading!

Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:35 am

Hey -Love the Panel and love the decals- I want to do the same to my Panel- Is that Removable? or is that permanent- how was it put on?
Thanks

Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:36 am

Hey -Love the Panel and love the decals- I want to do the same to my Panel- Is that Removable? or is that permanent- how was it put on?
Thanks

Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:01 am

man Id be afraid to change lanes in a panel bus, looks nice. oh wait its rhd!!!

Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:03 am

[jimmytwotimes]I'm gonna get the papers, get the papers.[/jimmytwotimes]

Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:17 am

I like it, well done!

Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:06 am

Thanks for the kind words. I'm really happy with how it's coming along. As far as know, the graphics should just peel of like a giant bumper sticker.